Original German WWII Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap by Friedrich-Holecek Original Items

Original Item: Only One available. This is a very nice service used condition Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO Schirmmütze (Visor Cap). The crown stiffener has been removed, giving it a lovely “saddle form” crushed shape. This NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap is an original high quality manufactured cap. It is fabricated in Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau (Flier’s Blue) wool, with wide black wool cap band, plus three rows of goldgelb (Gold-Yellow) color piping for the flight branch (Waffenfarbe) around the circumference. This included Aviator troops such as pilots and ground personnel as well as Fallschirmjäger (parachute troops).

The is decorated with the correct metal insignia, including a finely-detailed zinc eagle on the peak, and an aluminum oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and central painted tri-color cockade on the band. The dual-buckled black leather chinstrap, designating the wearer to be an enlisted man, is attached to black lacquered buttons on either side. The visor is the classic gloss black color with a faux stitched edge trim, made of pressed vulcanfibre, with a green underside. There is some great fine checking and age crazing on the top of the visor, confirming the age of the piece. The visor is still solidly attached to the body of the cap.

The sweatband of this cap is made from pressed paper faux leather, a common material in use during the WWII Period. unfortunately it has degrade quite a bit, with numerous tears and even some missing sections. It has had some paper put behind it to help the cap hold shape and to reinforce the sweatband.

The interior of the cap is lined with what looks to be a cream colored cotton rayon blend, which shows staining from use and age. The top celluloid sweat shield is fully intact with great stitching, and it still shows the maker name and address clearly:

Friedrich-Holecek
UNIFORM MÜTZEN
WIEN, IX.
Fuchsthallergasse 2
RUF A10-4-48

There is not any size or date mentioned, but the cap seems to be about a size 56cm / 7 US. Condition is good, but definitely shows wear from service, with several holes in the crown, as well as damage to the piping around the crown.

This is a very nice Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO peaked visor cap, offered in very good service used condition. Ready to display!

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.